Clutch mechanism



Oct- 19, 1937. D. L.. KNIGHT E'r Al.` 2,096,251

CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 23. 1935 2 Sheets-Shea', 1

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CLUTCH MECI'INISMv Filed Sept. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENroRs DONALD L.KNIGHT JOSEPH N. MCLOUGHLIN ATTO RN EYS Patented Oct. 19, 1937 `UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlc-E 2,096,251 cLU'rcn MEcnAmsM Application September 23, 1935, Serial No. 41,812

9 Claims.

The invention relates to clutch mechanisms and refers more particularly to clutch mechanisms for connecting separably operable drive members to a power shaft.

The inventionhas for an object to provide an improved clutch mechanism which normally maintains driving connection between the power shaft and one of the drive members. The invention has for another object to provide a clutch mechanism which is automatically operable upon operation of the other lof the drive members to release the first drive member from the power shaft, and effect driving connection between the power shaft and the other of the drive members. The invention has for a further object to provide a clutch mechanism which is dependable in operation and sturdy in construction.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clutch mechanism and a member operated thereby, showing an embodiment of our invention; l

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a, cross section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view with the parts separated; Y

Figures '7l and 8 are views showing modified constructions of clutch devices;

Figure 9 is a cross section on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.

The clutch mechanism embodying our invention is designed particularly for use in apparatus for opening and closing doors,'but it is apparent that in its broader aspects the clutch mechanism may be used in other apparatus.

As illustrated in the present instance, I is a door which is adapted to be opened and closed by being raised and lowered. This door is adapted to be raised by suitable means, such as cables 2, which extend over the sheave 3. In the present instance, these sheaves are mounted upon the countershaft 4, which latter is ydriven by the gearing 5 from the power shaft 6. The sheaves, countershaft, gearing and power shaft are located above the door and gravity is depended upon to lower the door to close the same.

For driving the power shaft, I have provided the electric motor 'I and also the manually operable drive` member 8, the operation Of the motor being controlled from the push button station 9 which is at a height such that it is readily accessible to the operator. The manually operable drive member is a chain wheel which is adapted to be operated by the chain I0 depending from the chain wheel a distance such that it is also readily accessible to the operator.

I I is a drive shaft forwardly beyond the power shaft 6 and in axial alignment therewith. This drive shaft is journaled in the gear housing I2 which is mounted upon the motor housing and this drive shaft is. driven from the motor shaft by suitable gearing I3. 'I'he drive shaft II is normally connected to the power shaft 6 at all times through the clutch device I 4. 'I'his clutch device comprises the drive clutch member I5 and the driven clutch member I6, the former being mounted upon the studs I1 which are secured to and extend rearwardly from the coupling member I8 xedly secured upon the driveshaft II. 'Ihe drive clutch member is normally held against the nuts I9 by means of the coil springs 20 abutting the drive clutch member and the coupling member. l This drive clutch member has the portion 2I which extends transversely of the axis of the power shaft 6 and which is provided with the annular series of holes 22. The driven clutch member I6 has the hub 23 which is slidably mounted upon the power shaft 6 and has a driving engagement with this power shaft so that the driven clutch member and the power shaft will rotate as a unit. As shown, the power shaft is milled oif fiat on opposite sides and the shaft opening in the hub is correspondingly shaped. The driven clutch member also has the portion 24 which extends transversely of the axis of the power shaft and which is provided with the annular series of projections 25 for engaging in the openings 22 whereby the drive clutch member will rotate the driven clutch member. To normally maintain the drive and driven clutch members in operative driving relation with the projections 25' in the yopenings 22, we have provided the compression coil spring 26 encircling the adjacent ends of the power shaft 6 and drive shaft II and abutting therear end of the hub 23 of the driven clutch member and the washer 21 which abuts the hub portion of the coupling member I8.

For the purpose of releasing the drive shaft I I from the power shaft 6 and operatively connecting the chain wheel 8to the power shaft 6, we have provided the front and rear release members 28 and 29 respectively and the diametricallyopposite keys 30. These release members are jouraxially extending projections 2 naled upon the power shaft l and extend into and carry the chain wheel I. Each of these release members is provided on its opposite sides with the V-shaped cam faces Il and the cam faces of the two release members are opposed with the V's extending away from each other. Ihe front release member also has the diametrically opposite 32 which when the parts are assembled extend into the diametrically opposite recesses 33 in the rear release member so that the two release members i adapted to be rotated as a unit. The keys Il which are rotatable with the chain wheel l are located on opposite sides of the axially extending projections I2 and are adapted to engage the cam faces 3| upon rotation of the chain wheel relative to the release members. The vlengths of these keys are such that they are adapted to engage .the axially 'extending projections 32 to drive the re-l lease members with the chain wheel and still permit the axially extending projections 32` to engage inthe recesses 33. 'I'he rear release member is held from rearward movement axially of the power'shaft 6 by abutting against the power wall or plate ll and this rear release member is also frictionally held from rotation by the brake blocks I! which are adjustably mounted upon the power wall or plate. The resistance offered by the brake blocks is preferably only such as to provide for the necessary rotation of the chain wheel l to the two release members to secure the spreading apartof the release members and the engagement of the keys 30 with the axially extending projections 32.

It will thus be seen that the front release member vis axially slidable upon the power shaft i forwardly toward and away from the driven clutch member Il. The cam faces li have an angle such that the front release member may be moved forwardly a sufficient distance to engage the driven clutch memberI I8 and move this forwardly a sumcient distance to disengage the projections Il from the openings 22, at which time the driven clutch member is in inoperativel driving relation with respect to the drive clutch member. 'Ihe front end of thefront release member and the rear end of the hub 2l of the drivenl clutch member are provided with the cooperative projections It for driving the driven clutch member upon disconnection of this member withthe drive clutch member. l1 is a compression coil springencircling the power shaft 6 and located in recessed portions of the front release member and the hub of the driven clutch member for yieldably moving the front release member to its normal position. at which time the keys are in substantial registration with the apices of the V-shaped cam faces.

In operation, the electric motor 'I is normally operatively connected at all times'to the DOwer shaft C through the intermediate clutch device Il.

However, pulling on the auxiliary hand operated chain le te rotate the chain wheel l 1n either direction automatically disconnects the motor from the power shaft and automaticallyconnects the' chainvwheel to the power shaft, this being-accomplished through the release members 28 and 29 and the keys )Il and also the driven clutch member Il of the clutch device Il. Upon releasing the pull on the chain, the chain wheel is automatically disconnected from the power shaft and the motor is `automatically connected again with the power shaft through the coil springs 2l, and 31 returning the parts to their normal positions.

f By reason of the friction device comprising the brake blocks 35, the release members are held are alwaysv the power shaft by pulling on have been spread apart and disengage the d riven clutch member from the'drive clutch member, at which time the keys engage the axially extending projections of the front release member to positively drive the same chain wheel. This friction device also functions to hold the chain wheel from revolving during the operation of the motor to drive the power shaft. The construction is such that even when'the motor is operating it can be disconnected from the hand operated chain to revolve the chain wheel in either direc-V tion and thereby through the release'members and the driven clutch member connect thechain wheel to the power shaft to rotate the same in either direction to thereby raiseand lower the door, irrespective of the direction of rotation of the motor. Also upon releasing the Vpull on the hand operated chain with the motor still in operation the connection between the motor and power shaft will automatically be made so that the motor may thenV drive. the :power shaft. However, when the motor isrunning at normal I speed and in a direction toraise oropen the door, the motor is ordinarily not disconnected from the power shaftvby operationy of the hand operated chain because of the effort required topull chain faster than the motor and to raise or open the door independent of the motor( j' Y Y In the modification of clutchshown in Figures 'I and 9,11'. will be noted that the drive clutch member Il and the .driven clutch member 39, which are respectively connected to and rotatable with the drive and power shafts Il and respectively, are in the natureof disks or plates; Bef tween these clutch members there is the annular friction facing 42 which may be secured to either and is frictionally e with the other. Ity will also be noted that there is a different device for holding the release-members when ink their normal positionsL from revolving with the chain wheel upon pulling the hand chain until the release members havebeen spread apart." The arrangement of the release members, .the chain wheel, the keys andthe power wall yor plate is substantially thesameas that shown in Figures-' 1 to 6 inclusive, but theidevioecomprises theplate n and means upon the plate and the front rel lease member u adapted to positively here front release member from revoiving'when in its normal position. More in detail, the front release member has the diametrioally oppositev ears or lugs 45 and the plate has aegrooved hole eorresponding in shape to the front'release member, and its ears or lugs. The ears or'lug'sare positioned upon the frontrelease to engage the grooves lwhen the' front release member is in normal position and to become from the grooves after the front release `member has been spread away from the rear release member land ed the drive Vanddriven clutch memy drive clutch member.

`What we claim as our is:

1. 'Ihecombinationwithapowershafthaving anxedaxisofrotatiomofamotorshaftnormally connected to said power shaft, a drive member operable independently of said motor shaft and normally unconnected to said power shaft, and means operable upon operation of said drive member in either direction for disconnecting said power shaft from said motor shaft and connecting said power shaft to said drive member, said means comprising a clutch member slidably mounted upon said power shaft and having a driving connection therewith and a member encircling said power shaft and engageable with said clutch member.

2. 'I'he combination with a power shaft having a fixed axis of rotation, of a motor shaft normally connected to said power shaft, a manually operable drive member normally unconnected to said power shaft, vand means external to said power shaft operable upon manual operation of said drive member in either direction for disconnecting said power shaft from said motor shaft andv connecting said power shaft to said drive member.

3. The combination with a power shaft having a fixed axis of rotation, and a motor shaft, of normally operative, means for driving said power shaft from said motor shaft, a manually operable drive member normally unconnected to said power shaft, and means encircling said power shaft and supporting said drive member and dependent upon manual operation of said drive member for rendering said first mentioned means inoperative and for driving said power shaft from said drive member.

4. The combination with a motor shaft and a power shaft, of drive and driven clutch members connected to `said motor and power shafts respectively, means for normally maintaining said clutch members inoperative driving relation, a drive member operable independently of said motor shaft, and normally unconnected to said clutch members, and means operable-upon operation of said drive member in either direction for relatively moving saidclutch members from operative driving relation to inoperative relation and also for operatively connecting said power shaft to said drive member through said driven clutch member.

5. The combination with a motor shaft and a power shaft, of drive and driven clutch members connected to said motor and power shafts respectively, means for normally maintaining said clutch members in operative driving relation, a manually rotatable drive member, and means rotatable upon rotation of said drive member in either direction and including a cam member for relatively moving said clutch members from operative driving relation to inoperative relation, and also for operatively connecting said power shaft to said dri've member through said driven clutch member.

6. The combination with a drive shaft and a power shaft, of drive and drivenv clutch members uponvand rotatable with said drive and power shafts respectively, said driven clutch member being slidable axially of said power shaft, means for normally maintaining said clutch members in operative driving relation, a rotatable wheel, cam members journaled upon said power shaft, one of said cam members being slidable axially of said power shaft toward and into engagement with said driven clutch member to move the Same from operative driving relation with respect to said drive clutch member, cooperating means upon said last mentioned cam member and said driven clutch member for driving the latter from the former upon engagement thereof, and means rotatable with said wheel and engageable with Said cam members to move said axially slidable cam member toward said driven clutch member and to rotate said cam members.

'1. The combination with a drive shaft and a power shaft, of drive and driven clutch members upon and rotatable with said drive and power shafts, respectively, said driven clutch member being slidable axially of said power shaft, means for normally maintaining said clutch members in operative driving relation, a chain wheel, front and rear release members journaled upon said power shaft and extending within said chain wheel, said release members having opposed cam faces and being rotatable as a unit, said front release member being slidable axially of said power shaft forwardly toward and into engagement with said driven clutch member to move the same from operative driving relation with respect to said drive clutch member, cooperating means upon said front release member and said driven clutch member for driving the latter from the former upon engagement thereof, means for yieldably moving said front release member rearwardly, means for limiting the rearward movement of said rear release member, and means rotatable with said wheel and engageable with the camvfaces of said release members to move said front release member forwardly and to rotate both of said 'cam members. ,Y

8. Apparatus for operating a door, comprising a motor shaft, a power shaft, means for normally connecting said shafts, a. release member journaled on one of said shafts, a manually rotatable drive member carried by said release member, means comprising a. member for both rotating and advancing said release member toward said first mentioned means to render the same Ainoperative and to operatively connect said drive member to said power shaft.

9. Apparatus for operating a door, comprising a motor shaft, a. power shaft, drive and driven clutch members connected to said motor and powerl shafts respectively and normally coin--v nected together, a rotatable chain wheel and means operable upon rotation of said chain wheel in either direction to disconnect said clutch members' and connect said driven clutch member to said chain wheel, said means comprising a rewheel.

DONALD L. KNIGHT.

JOSEPH, N. MCIQUGHLIN. 65 

